Nasya Treatment

Nasya treatment means putting nasal drops. While you might be already knowing about usage of nasal drops to relieve nasal congestion, Ayurvedic nasya therapy is quite different from this usual practice. While putting the drops into nostrils remains the same, the purpose of this treatment varies in Ayurveda. While there are many types of Nasya treatments, there is one type which can be done on daily basis for the overall improvement of health and to prevent diseases.

Definition: Ayurvedic texts define nasya as-Oushadham oushadha siddha sneham va nasikayaam deeyate inti nasyam It means, procedure where the medicated drugs or oils are administrated through the nostrils.

Note: There are many types of Nasya using powders, juice extracts, decoctions, herbal fumes etc. But they are used for therapeutic purposes. Here, I am only concentrating on the one that everyone can use on daily basis.

Nasal medication is especially described for the treatment of diseases of the parts above the shoulders; Nose is considered as the gateway for the head, spreading through this, the nasal medication reaches all the parts of the head and neck and cures the diseases of respective region.

Indication: This type of Nasya is applicable to all healthy people. Specifically it is helpful in people suffering from Stiffness of the head Stiffness of the teeth Stiffness of the neck obstruction of the throat Stiffness of the jaw Rhinitis running nose Uvulitis Tonsillitis Corneal disorders

hyper pigmentation, freckles Migraine, headache Neck stiffness Stiffness of shoulder, \ Diseases of the oral cavity Nasal disorders Ear disorders Eye diseases headache facial paralysis Motor neuron disorders Convulsions Goitre Gingivitis Loose teeth Hoarse voice Slurred speech Neuro muscular disorders One who practices nasal therapy in time according to the prescribed method, his eyes, nose and ears are not affected by any morbidity. His hair and head never become white or grey; he never experiences hair fall; those rather grow luxuriously. Being nourished by inhalation, his veins, joints, ligaments and tendons of head and neck gain greater strength. His face becomes cheerful and plumpy; and his voice becomes sweet, stabilized and stertorous. All the sense organs become clear and three is considerable strength. Diseases relating to head and neck do not attack such a person. Even though, he might be growing old, old age does not affect his head (in the form of grey hair etc (reference: Charaka Sutrasthana 5th chapter)

Persons unsuitable to nasal medication :- Nasal medication should not be administered to persons who have just then consumed water, wine, artificial poison (Garavisha chronic poisoning) and fat (as part of Snehana therapy) or who wish to consume them, soon, who is suffering from indigestion, who have taken food just then, who have just taken bath or who desire to take bath-soon. Ideally there should be a minimum gap of 30 minutes between bath and Nasya treatment. who has just taken oil or fat who is suffering from excessive thirst who is suffering from excessive hunger who is severely tired, who have had blood letting therapy- or severe bleeding due to other causes, who are having acute rhinitis, who has consumed alcohol who is suffering from acute fever, who is suffering from acute cold, who are getting natural urges of the body, like urge to urinate, defecate etc. the woman who has recently delivered, patients of dyspnoea, COPD, Asthma and cough, those who have undergone purification (Panchakarma) therapies who have been given Basti treatment just then, at unsuitable seasons and on Sunless cloudy days except in emergency.

Infective Rhinitis, who has have drunk wine, People with low ears- low hearing capacity in whom, in the Doshas are greatly imbalanced and moving from place to place; Nasya should not be administered to those who are less seven years and more than 80 years of age;

Right time for Nasya therapy Nasal medication should be administered in morning if Kapha is increased. Mid day if Pitta is increased Evening if Vata is increased. During Sharath (Autumn) and Vasantha (Spring), it should be given in forenoon. During winter, it should be given in midday. Evenings in summer, when there is sunlight during Varsha- rainy season.

Pratimarsha nasya The below mentioned type of Nasya is called as Pratimarsha Nasya. It can be applied After head massage After Gandusha (gargling) After Anjana collyrium, After defecation, After tooth brushing, After bouts of laughing ;

Procedure for Nasya treatment -

If there is urge to urinate or defecate, finish that first. It is better to brush the teeth first, if you are doing it in the morning. Take plain sesame oil and do gentle massage over the entire face and neck. For the purpose of massage, you can use Maha Narayana oil, if you are targeting headache and sinusitis. Nalpamaradi taila / Kumkumadi Taila for good facial skin and complexion Bala Ashwagandhadi Taila / Ksheerabala taila to improve strength of sense organs.

While massaging, avoid eye lids and eyes. After massage, give hot fomentation. You can do this by mopping the face with a towel dipped in hot water / washing the face with hot water / giving hot fomentation with a cloth pack of salt, heated on a pan. Hot fomentation should be given to face and neck, avoiding eyes and eye lids. Lie on a cot in a room devoid of breeze or excess sunlight. For convenience, keep a thin pillow below neck. Lie straight with his face upwards, extending arms and legs.

Take Anu Tailam the oil for Nasya procedure. The oil is slightly warmed in hot water bed, just before administration. Two drops of the oil are instilled into each nostril. This can be done by another person. Because while self administering, one may miss the target

After instilling, soles, neck, palms, ears etc. should be massaged- mildly. After about 30 minutes, sputum along with medicine may come out. You have to spit it all out. If you feel excess of heat / burning sensation, then wash your face with cold water. After this procedure, one should lie with face upwards, for 2 minutes.

Then, ideally, smoke inhalation with medicated herbs and mouth gargling should be done, to cleanse the throat.

Symptoms of good Nasya procedure Breathing without difficulty Good sleep Improved strength of sense organs

Symptoms of inadequate Nasya Vision problems Emaciation, dryness of nose and mouth feeling of emptiness in head If you feel these symptoms, then repeat the procedure of Nasya.

Symptoms of excess Sneha nasya Itching Feeling of heaviness of the head, Excess salivation, Anorexia Rhinitis are signs of excess of Nasya. Pratimarsha cleanses, clears the channels, relieves fatigue, improves eye sight, bestows sturdiness to the teeth and mitigates the Vata.29

Benefits of Nasya treatment The skin, shoulders, neck face and chest become thick, well developed and bright; The body parts and the sense organs become strong disappearance of grey hairs will be obtained by persons who becomes habituated to nasal medication.

How it works:

The medicaments administered through the nostrils pervade into the nervous and venous system present in and around the nostrils. Then they evacuate the morbidity present or distributed in nearby area. Thus it relieves the blockage of the channels and the diseases are cured effectively.

Rationality of nasya therapy: It is a well-known factor that the olfactory centre is located in the temporal lobe of the brain. The filaments of first cranial nerve, Olfactory nerve arise from the upper parts of the nasal mucosa, from where the minute fibrils pass to meet with the fibres from olfactory bulb. This nerve passes the cribriform plate present over here and joins the olfactory centre in the temporal lobe of the brain. As mentioned earlier, the numerous capillaries embedded in the nasal mucosa absorb the medicinal principles administered through nasya and produce various kinds of local and systemic effects by mechanical and chemical reactions. The discharge secreted contain the blocking morbids and are evacuated through nasal route. Thus the pathological condition is reversed and the disease is relieved.